Description
This Thai Beef Salad (Yum Nua) is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines spicy, tangy, and sweet notes with tender seared steak and fresh herbs. Enhanced by a unique toasted rice powder for crunch, this healthy and easy-to-make salad is perfect as a light meal or an impressive side dish in Thai-inspired menus.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, halved (one half minced, the other sliced into thin rings)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (tender white core only)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
Steak and Rice Powder
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 (9 to 10 oz) 1-inch thick New York strip steak
- 2 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice (or long/short grain white rice)
Salad
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- Lettuce of your choice (butter lettuce, romaine, iceberg, or blend)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Cucumbers, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Mince the garlic and one jalapeno half and place them in a small bowl. Add the thinly sliced jalapeno rings, lime juice, fish sauce, minced lemongrass, brown sugar, and red chili flakes. Stir well and adjust seasoning by tasting and adding more lime juice, fish sauce, or sugar as needed. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Toast Rice Powder: Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the uncooked jasmine rice and stir frequently to toast the grains until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before grinding into a coarse powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Sear the Steak: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the pan and sear without moving for 5 to 6 minutes until well browned. Flip and cook the other side for another 5 to 6 minutes to reach medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes to retain juices.
- Slice the Steak: Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain, then cut slices into bite-sized pieces to ensure tenderness and easy eating.
- Assemble the Salad: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced beef with its resting juices, shallots, mint, and cilantro. Stir the prepared dressing and pour it over the beef mixture, tossing gently to coat everything well. Sprinkle the toasted rice powder over the salad and toss again lightly.
- Serve: Arrange the dressed beef salad over a bed of your chosen lettuce along with cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices. Serve immediately for the freshest flavor and texture.
Notes
- The heat level can be adjusted by varying the amount of jalapeno and red chili flakes according to taste.
- Cut the steak against the grain to ensure tenderness.
- Store dressing, steak, and salad ingredients separately if preparing ahead of time, then combine before serving.
- Toasted rice powder adds essential texture and nutty flavor—don’t skip this step.
- Substitute other cuts of steak such as ribeye, flank, or sirloin as preferred.
- Vegetarian variations can be made by replacing beef with tofu or mushrooms.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai beef salad, Yum Nua, Thai salad, steak salad, lemongrass, toasted rice powder, spicy salad, fresh herbs, healthy Thai recipe
